Requiem of a Child
by AlyssGrey
Summary: In 1999 a child died, shifting the balance of Earth to mortals, despite the gods that remain. Superman dissapeared days before WW3, returning 4 years in. Battles awake an ancient force, and the fate of Earth is once again placed on the backs of children.
1. Chapter 1

_1999, 17 Years Ago_

Her starry green eyes bored holes into all of them.

It seemed to all who watched her that she knew, that she must have known, exactly what had and would unfold into her life, that she knew precisely what was happening everywhere, and how to make the most of her time.

It must have been, for how else would she have known to have herself recorded, to have all of them found, at such a crucial time? How else could she have designed it so intricately, so that everything would work out just in her last waking moments? She knew of the little precious time she had left, for sure. She knew of everything.

Her eyes held them. Mesmerized them. Her family stood behind her, her enemies to the front. She looked back, at all of them, knowing how much she was going to cost them, how her brother and sisters needed her.

Diana and Sarra needed her voice of reason, she knew Lois couldn't handle the insanity without her by her side, she knew Alexander, her only brother, she knew his heart couldn't break any more times. Her child needed her, Eiyan needed her. Her actions would hurt them, they couldn't handle it. She knew. She knew all this, and still couldn't change her mind. Not when she was this close, she couldn't let Alyss down, no matter how badly the rest were hurt.

She faced the cameras. Her haunting eyes won the hearts and minds of the thousands that watched as her life unraveled before the world. Of all those who had hated them, who had sent everything they could to destroy them, they were now the ones held hostage, trapped in their minds by a girl who hadn't the strength to even hold her own child. A strange smile came across her face, fleeting, sad.

"I'm sorry." her voice cracked. She raised the gun.

* * *

_2009, 10 Years Later, or 7 Years Ago_

The opportunity was to good to be true. The theory was impossible. And yet, Clark found himself drawn to it.

New Krypton. A planet where the survivors of his home lived, thriving upon a planet nearly a clone of the one they had left. He was all ready in space, it was only a couple hundred light years away. He knew the Earth needed him, the League needed him. But for once, he wanted something for himself, damn it. He _wanted_ to see his family, he wanted to go. The League would be fine without him.

* * *

_2013, 3 Years Ago, or 4 Years Later_

Clark Kent walked into the Watchtower for the first time in a month. As he strode into the commons, everyone turned to look at him. Most glared. Everyone looked...different. Older. Their faces were lined, their eyes cold, as if they had been through a thousand wars.

"Where have you _been_?" Diana's voice was shook the room. "Disappear for four years, no call, no nothing. Four _years_, Kal! Do you know what that's done to us, do you know what that's done to _Lois_? Hera, where were you?" She was the only one that wasn't wrinkled, but her eyes were changed as well. They were tired, and angry.

"Diana, calm down. I've only been gone a month, on New Krypton, it's amazing, the technology-"

"You've been gone for four years, Kent." His voice cut across the room, stopping all whispers. "And I don't care where you've been. Welcome to WWIII."

"There's no way, I was only-"

"Save it." The Batman resumed typing.

"It was only a month." He whispered to himself. Sickened, he began to draw battle plans.

* * *

_2016_

7 years into WWIII, the Taliban apeared to be winning. People were losing hope, and The Daily Planet was losing business. It also had a war in its own office.

"Lois, how was your weekend?"

"No."

"Do you want some coffee?"

"No."

"Can I do anything for you?"

"Drown in air."

"Can I come over tonight?"

"You can castrate yourself."

Lois was tired of him. At first, she was angry. How dare he leave her, leave them, just when...but now she simply wished he was dead. It'd solve all her problems, and half the wars.

Clark didn't know why she was so angry. Perhaps it was the War, perhaps it was because he hadn't once seen her go out in 3 years. But it didn't matter. She needed him, he was sure of it.

Lois didn't need him. She didn't need anyone. Not again. Never again.


	2. Chapter 2

It could have been the wrath of Zeus, or simply Gaea taking her course through life as it pleased her.

But as Hippolyta watched the storm come crashing, the queen thought inexplicably of children. Of dangerous children, who could cause thunderstorms that invaded Themiscyra, of sweet, innocent girls and honest, playful boys that hid the most desperate of secrets.

The Amazon's mind rested on nine in particular, but also explored the undeniable fact that there really were hundreds, and any of them could be the source.

Hippolyta missed her daughter. It had been nearly a year since she had seen Diana last, and couldn't help but wondering where she was, what she was doing. She knew her daughter could take care of herself, but she had seemed so tired, so strange the last time.

The War was taking its toll on everyone, but normally Diana could stomach these things. But somehow, along the way, it had unnerved her. It must have. What else could have twisted her mind? The girl had been shaking as she stood, and that was a year ago.

Hippolyta feared for her daughter. The time that had been spent between then and now could have done nothing good for her mental psyche. But perhaps no news was good news. Perhaps by not hearing anything from her daughter, that meant that nothing was wrong. She knew better, yet still, she deluded herself into thinking that things would be fine. She should have seen it coming.

* * *

Diana was tired. Tired of everything, really, of life and existence and stupidity and caffeine, of wars and men and the gods and screaming children. But mostly she was tired of bad weather. It seemed as if every time something really important occured, the weather interfered. Or worse, in the rare moments such as these when she was able to sleep, what should happen but a huge, howling storm come screaming at her window. It wasn't fair! But of course, nothing was.

Unable to sleep, she made her way downstairs to the commons. There was always work to be done, and as long as she was up, it seemed that she might as well do something. A draft blew in from an open window, letting in rain. She pulled her cloak tighter and hurried, not bothering to close the window. It would only open up again.

As she reached the commons, she noticed things were abnormally quiet. Not a soul was moving, it was as if the whole area had been deserted. Desperately hoping she was dreaming, she reached for the switch. The light flickered on, illuminating the empty room. On a table was a folded piece of yellowed paper. She picked it up, unfolding and reading the familiar hand.

_October 11, 1999_

_Although our very existence seems futile, our hopes seem to be growing stronger as the days go by. _

_With each breath of life the children rejoice, glad of a chance to prove their self worth. The war against the Prot- is only getting worse, and our numbers are falling. But nothing seems to dappen their spirits, not even the fall of Niecy._

_Oh! I never saw it coming! One moment she was alive, taking down Prot- left and right, her sisters by her side._

_The next she was on the ground, a shell, Neely and Nenny just, just standing there, completely shocked. It was the most terrible thing I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot._

_Oh, she took hundreds down with her, and thousands before last night. But somehow, it isn't the same._

_Prot- don't have families. No one mourns them, they're just thrown in a pile, lifeless orphans giving their life to a cause. The wrong cause._

_If I could change them I would, if only I could make them see. But its very much to late, they've lost their souls._

_And so it is so much, so very much worse for one child with a soul to die than thousands of soulless soldiers. For sure, their death is a tragedy, but so is their lives. _

_Niecy's life wasn't a tragedy. It was a celebration. Every act, every thought was selfless. She died for others. _

_If only I was that brave._

_I wish I was. I wish I could take care of everyone, I wish I could take care of the world. _

_I'm not strong enough. _

_But enough of the dreary nonsense. How are you, Kayden dearest? And Aleana? How is she? Has she said anything yet? Can she walk? Tell me everything, I have to know._

_I just can't bear not knowing how she is, my precious. Please, come back soon. Please._

_All My Love, Hopes, and Joys,_

_~Diana._

Her hands were shaking as she read it through, twice. It was a cruel joke, it must be, or have some purpose, why else would it be here, with no one around? She searched through it, trying to find some sense of meaning to the letter, some reasoning of it being there. She shook it, and was about to rip it into shreds when something fell out. A note, in shaky, childish writing, written on the back of a piece of cardboard.

_You believed in us once. You believed in so much! Where are you?_

_We need you. **I **need you. Why aren't you helping?_

_You've seen what's happened. You know what's being planned. You know why it's necessary. _

_Don't let them. Please. How many Niecys? How many Kaytes? Stop it. Stop it all._

_We need you to believe in us again, to believe that you don't have to be good to be good. We need our Queen. Our Mother. We need someone to love us. _

_Alyss believes in you. Why can't you? _

_Please. _

_~A.S.K._

She sank into the chair, staring at the slanted words. Her mind didn't comprehend it, but her body shook, convulsing into sobs. There she stayed, all night, until Bruce found her. He led her to her room, shaking all the way.


	3. Chapter 3

I have just suddenly realized that there isn't a disclaimer. I do not, have not, and never will own the JLU or any characters exempting those from my own imagination, which would be any one you don't recognize and can't find on Google. Who I may kill, because no characters have ever given me this much trouble with a chapter.

Happy July!

* * *

Lois Lane pulled the car up to the apartment building slowly, struggling to find her parking spot in the dark. It was darker than it should be, but she didn't pay much attention to the fact. She made her way up the stairs to the 7th floor, digging around for her keys in her purse as she walked down the hall. Finally finding her keys as she reached her flat, she turned the key and stepped into her house silently. The television set buzzed with noise. Expecting to find the children wide awake, she was surprised to find Seth and Sarah cuddled on the couch, asleep. A noise came from the hall, and Lois turned, preparing to attack the invader. Her kick was stopped by the hand of a young girl.

"Caroline! Why, what do you think you're doing, scaring me half to death, does your father know you're here?"

"Relax Lois." The dark haired girl was practically laughing at her. "The kids called around ten because you weren't home, and they were freaked. I should be asking you, what do you think you're doing, leaving two eight year olds alone?"

Lois took in the room. It was dark, darker than it should be. She checked the orange clock on the wall.

"Four thirty? How, it can't be..."

"But it is." Caroline's face was serious now. "So tell me, what were you doing tonight?" She sat on the sofa, Lois following.

"I blew Clark off after work...went to a coffee place, it was only 7 o'clock, maybe seven-thirty...I got into the car, and drove home...so how could it be four, I don't.."

"I don't know. Maybe. Yet. Daddy might have a-"

"No. No, Caroline. I stayed out to late. Got a little to drunk. Bad day at the office. Whenever the kids fell asleep, that's about when I got here, understand? This didn't happen. It was another late call for babysitting. Thanks for watching them, how much do I owe you?"

"Lois, we need to-"

"No. Here's a twenty. Do you need me to drive you home?"

"No, it's fine. Thanks. I'll be fine. Goodnight Lois." She got up, and headed towards the door. "Lois? If you need, anything, you know where we are, right? Daddy, he hasn't ever held anything against you. It's okay, there's me, and Aleana and Mary Katherynne...you aren't,"

"I know, Caroline. Thanks."

Caroline smiled at Lois, shook her head, and stepped out the door.

* * *

Lois sat on the couch, watching her children sleep, contemplating the night, and it's mysteries; wondering over the strangeness that was children, and the heart-breaking hate and tears that made up the story of Caroline. Caroline. Caroline and Aleana, Aegia, Martha, Damon, Andrew, Ace, Arwynn, Lilly, Helena. Seth and Sarah. She sat and thought of Clark, and how different it all would be tonight if he hadn't, if he couldn't...if he, if he. She didn't know how long she sat there, thinking sad thoughts of life and death, wondering how it had all fallen apart so quickly. It wasn't until she heard a noise from the sofa that she broke her reverie.

"Mumma? Where's Caroline?" Sarah's struggled to sit up, squashed under her brother.

"She went home, sweetheart. Do you want to get in your own bed?"

"Okay."

She squirmed a bit more, before Lois picked up Seth. She carried him down the hall into the twins' room as Sarah tagged along behind her. She changed Seth into his favorite blue and green pajamas while Sarah put on her own pink and orange one. Lois tucked them both into their beds, and stuck on the silver night-light they both required to get to sleep. She gave Seth a kiss good-night, and bent to give Sarah hers.

"Mumma?" Sarah's voice was sharp, demanding.

"Yes?"

"Where were you? I mean, really. Not what you told Caroline. Where did you go, what happened?" Her little face was defiant, frowning in her displeasure.

"Starling, I was just out late, that's all. I lost track of time, and had no idea it was so late." The lie came out easily, as simple as brushing her daughter's raven hair off of her forehead.

"No you weren't. I know you weren't. You never went to that coffee shop, did you? Tell me." Her face was twisted by the force of how much she was upset, her violent, violet eyes bored into her mother's. "Tell me. Please." Her voice cracked, promising tears and fire.

"Sarah, I honestly just can't tell you, because I-"

"You do know! You do so! I know you do. Why won't you tell me?"

"Sarah, go to bed."

"No. I want to know why you lied to Caroline."

"It's best that Caroline thinks what I want her to think." Lois got up from the bed. "And it's best that you, as a sleepy little girl with school tomorrow, go to sleep and stop thinking so much."

"I...mum, school isn't that important, what do you mean about-"

"Goodnight Sarah."

"Mumma...please, why? Why are you-"

"Goodnight." Lois walked out of the room and closed the door. She walked into her own room, sinking onto her bed.

* * *

Inside the twins' room, Seth had gotten up.

"What do you reckon she does all this time?" He asked, crawling over to his sister's bed.

"Dunno. I thought maybe, if we had Caroline come over, she might tell her." Sarah frowned as she moved over to make room for her twin.

"But then she, just..."

"I know. We need a better plan." Seth could see his sister's mind whirring with ideas.

"We do." He agreed. "But why do you reckon she lied to Caroline?"

Sarah gave her brother a look, clearly showing she thought he was an idiot. "_Because_, she doesn't want anyone to know. Caroline and Tim are just as curious and confused as we are. So if she tells Caroline some fake story about not knowing where she is after she goes to get coffee, and then freaks out when Caroline starts to look into it and tries to figure out what's wrong, then Caroline will look for the wrong thing, and lead everyone all wrong. Than Mumma can keep doing whatever it is that keeps her up so late, and never get caught."

"Then why would she tell you?" Seth wondered. "About Caroline thinking what she wants her to think? IF she's trying to mislead everyone, than why lead us on? Unless, no, she couldn't."

"Couldn't what?"

"What if she's a criminal? That would explain why she hates Superman so much, and why she doesn't want anyone to know where she is and who we are. And maybe she wants us to join her when we're older, a family crime business. Or she could be part of the mafia, and we'll be a part of it to, but only if we're smart enough." He frowned. "That also explains-"

"Why we don't know who our father is." She finished for him. "Or was. If he was a criminal, and got taken by the police, or, or Superman. And that's why she hates him, for taking our father."

"Yes," Seth agreed. "That's it. Definitely. She's part of a mafia, the underground, and he took our father to jail."

"But I don't think it's the mafia."

"You don't?"

"No. Seth, have you ever heard of the First Order of Blood?"


	4. Chapter 4

All right people, I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, but for now lets have some fun listening to Tokio Hotel and reading my rambling works. If you actually read this, please review and let me know what you think - love, hate, whatever, but some constructive criticism would be great. So, peace, love, t.A.T.u., and Rent. Super thanks for taking the 5+ minutes to look at this!

* * *

This week's founder's meeting was promising to be just as boring as the last. Wally was fidgeting, John was half asleep, and even Diana had reached a state of boredom by the time Superman stood to talk.

"We have received information that a terrorist group calling themselves The First Order of Blood. So far, their targets seem random, but I think we can target a motive." Clark was saying to a general lack of attention. "They've attacked the States, The Middle East, China, and most of Western Europe."

"You think they're trying to take control of the world while everyone is at war." Shayera said flatly. "Just like everyone else."

"I think these people could do it." He replied. "They aren't new. I've done some research, and discovered this." He put a disk into the computer, and Diana sunk lower into her chair. "I haven't seen all of it, but I think this is enough to go ahead and classify as a threat."

* * *

_The image danced across the screen, a grainy picture of a filthy girl pulling herself out of a manhole. She was dressed in all black, and her long ratty hair matched perfectly. She stood in the streets for a moment, then took off running. The camera followed her, as the screen split to show more children rising from the streets._

_The girl had stopped running. Before her stood a boy just as dirty, holding an infant. The girl walked towards him, reaching for the child._

_"Aleana." The girl breathed. _

_The girl on the screen took the baby, and the boy wrapped his arms around her. The children from the street had caught up to the girl and boy, and were looking to them for direction._

_"Tonight." was all that she said, and yet it was if she had said more, conveyed some unspoken rule, and all the children melted as a thick black mist took over the street._

* * *

The video sputtered, turning to a murder scene.

_Bodies littered the ground, some burnt, some bloody, some with looks of sheer terror on their faces. In the midst of it 8 children stood, surveying the damage. The three boys, clearly the eldest of the children stood protectively, one in front of a girl with a pregnant stomach and flowing red hair, another infront of a small dark haired girl who could be no older than eight. Third boy, the one from the other video, stood holding the baby behind a young redhead and the black-haired girl as the two kicked bodies, decapacitating the occasional few whom might barely still be alive. _

_The children were all strikingly beautiful, although only the eldest dark haired girl's face held any expression. While the other's faces remained cold, she sliced the head off of a stirring victim and laughed a frightening, hysterical laugh._

* * *

Diana was practically shaking in her seat, about to throw up.

_Bombs were falling all over the street, people had been evacuated. The dark-haired girl rose from the streets, screaming, and the bombs fell, yet didn't hit her, as planes dropped from the sky, their passengers on fire..._

* * *

The video blanked, and then sputtered to show news casts, the different reporters practically spilling on top of each other.

_We believe that these attacks are coming from a cult calling themselves the First Order of Blood. Who they are or who their target is we have yet to discover..._

_It has recently been discovered that The Order is led by a teenage girl..._

_A child of about 13 or 14 with long dark hair appears to be their leader..._

_People are to be warned that this child is deranged, if seen do not approach her..._

_It is not apparent as of yet if there are any adults in this cult, but it appears to be comprised entirely of children, and led by a mentally ill teenage girl... _

_Rumors are swirling that the name of the leader has been discovered, more on our special at 11:00..._

_Diana Prince, age 14, is the "Queen" of The First Order..._

_She's a schizophrenic bent on destroying the world as punishment for her childhood..._

_Diana Prince has become public with her goal to rid the world of humanity, as of yet all attempts to locate and destroy her have been unsuccessful..._

* * *

"Turn it off." Diana said. "Turn it of, Clark. Now." But he didn't, letting the video flicker to another grainy shot.

_A blonde girl was lying on the ground, bleeding from literally every orifice of her body. The black haired girl, Diana Prince, was bent over her, praying, chanting, trying to do everything, anything to stop the bleeding, but nothing was working, nothing. The other children were bandaging her arms and legs, but the blood was pouring out of her very pores. The blonde girl shuddered suddenly, and then fell still as the bleeding stopped._

_Diana screamed, and one hundred buildings around her disintegrated to ash, as did anyone inside them. Two girls identical to the one who lay dead were screaming as well, tears streaming down their faces, refusing to be comforted, just screaming out their agony, screaming so that the whole world shook, screaming so that every radical in the world thought this to be the end of the world as the two girls screamed so unbearably that that the children around them feared for their lives, and what was to happen when they discovered who was responsible for the death of their sister._

_

* * *

_

"Please, Kent. Turn it of. Stop it!" But Superman shook his head.

_The two armies clashed, one made entirely of children, the other of lines and lines of young men, all exactly between the ages of 18 and 22._

_The children seemed to be winning, cutting down numbers of the men, but more kept coming towards them._

_The two girls, the sisters of the dead blonde, were fighting ferociously, taking down legions at a time, until a well placed blazing catapult took one of them down, and the other passed out in shock._

_The small girl with black hair who had once hidden behind her brother was also doing well, darting in and out amongst the enemy to weaken them with cut off legs and stabbed stomachs. _

_"Lois!" The girl turned to look at the red-head, the movement just barely saving her from decapitation. She ran to the second girl._

_"Kayte, I thought you couldn't-"_

_"I brought reinforcements." She pointed to the legions of horses that stood above the carnage, the camera shot following, although unable to capture the riders. _

_"Why aren't they fighting?" Lois asked. Kayte put her arms around her._

_"The gods cannot so directly interfere." She said to her sadly._

_"But they aren't gods! And you're fighting!" She said furiously._

_"Is that what you think of me?" She let her go. "I am no god, Lois Prince."_

_Lois grabbed her arm. "But you're one of us. Kaytie, you're my twin. A Prince. If _they _are gods, surely we are, by our parentage. Minor gods in an undeserving war."_

_Kayte grabbed her by her shoulders. "Look at me, Lois. Look at me. Do I look like you? If I was like you, truly, would I be so forsaken?"_

_"Kayte, you aren't-"_

_"I am! I am not. Lois, in your heart, in mine, we are twins, sisters. But by blood, I'm Alyss's. Kayterinne Wayne, remember the story? She left a mess behind. And I have work to do tonight."_

_Lois shook her head, grabbing on to her. "No, no, Kayte, you can't, I don't care about Alyss, I don't care about what Martha did, you can't, I won't let you!"_

_"It won't end. I have to, or we'll be stuck here for generations, our children fighting the mudo until the world ends. I have to do it."_

_"Someone else, Raeanne, me, think of your children, please, let it be me-"_

_"No. It has to be me. It has to be a Wayne, a girl. Raeanne has her life stretching in front of her. A life with no Alyss, and maybe no Diana. A life where she can someday find Bruce and they can live together in that big mansion until they die of old age, not of bioterror and mudo attacks. I can't take it from her. And Alyss was to big of a coward to face this. I'm not, because what am I worth any way?"_

_"A thousand, a million things! Kayte, you mean the world to me, you have children who love you. That's worth more than most anyone. Think of them!"_

_"I'm too weak to hold my children. The weight of Mia is too much for me, Micheal can't even sit on my knees to play. I can't bear it, Lois! How will I be able to watch them grow, how will they understand that Mummy can't play because she's too delicate? This is my cowardice, Lois. I can't deny that. It's my fears being abated by the call of death. I have to do this, because I'm to much of a coward to face what will happen if I don't."_

_"Let me go with you. Please."_

_Kayte shook her head, her beautiful red waves moving with her. "I need you to take care of them, Lois. I need to know that they're safe, and you are the only one I trust with that. Take care of Mia and Micheal for me. Please, Lois." _

_"Of course." The two girls hugged each other, and Kayte kissed the top of Lois's head. _

_"Forever?"_

_"And always." Kayte smiled, and Lois ran off into the dark that had begun to swallow everything. _

_The scene faded out into one of Diana struggling as she was bombarded by the soldiers. The camera panned suddenly as a shout filled the crowd-_

And a Batwing went through the screen.

Everyone turned to stare at its thrower. He gave them a batglare in return.

"Thank you." Diana whispered.

Superman glared back. "God, Bruce, if you didn't want to watch it you could have said something!"

"Diana tried that. What's wrong with you Kent? Children dying, playing out like a soap opera?"

"It, it was on Waller's laptop. I, I, I thought it was important." He stuttered.

"Obviously. Someone with a sick sense of humor took advantage of children in a terrible situation, and turned them into a video Waller has a fetish for. I thought you were better than to use that as evidence." The Batman stalked out of the conference room, followed by Wally, who looked as if he was about to be sick.

"Wow." Shayera stared at the still smoking screen.

"I didn't think it-"

"Exactly. You didn't think, you didn't watch any more than the first video, did you?" John snapped. "The First Order was real, and sad. Hundreds of kids the country didn't want, fighting the government that was trying to rid the streets of them. They weren't the enemy, we were. And if they've been reformed, then we deserve everything we get." John walked out the still swinging door, and after a moment's hesitation, so did Shayera and J'onn.

Clark looked at Diana, who was somehow still in the room. She just shook her head at him, before walking out of the room slowly, rhythmically. And Clark Kent, once again, was left alone in a room, contemplating exactly how it was he had gotten to be there.


	5. Chapter 5

So…..ah, life, books, high school. I hope at least someone is reading this, so if you are, thanks! This is a tricky chapter, and with all the craziness I'm surprised to be writing this soon, especially as I SHOULD be working on my oh-so-boring extemporaneous speech on furlough days. Oh well. To be honest, I have no clue where this is going, it was supposed to be BMWW, but now it's like, all Superman and Lois, so whatever. This one's more Batman-ish. I don't own anything canon!

~Hope everyone's enjoying school, oh readers in Georgia!

* * *

There wasn't a place in the Galaxy that was safe, especially Earth. The impending doom was too great to even try to be safe from. The best course of action was to, of course, stick out your thumb and hope for a friendly flying saucer to pick you up and take you to another dimension using an improbability drive.

Unfortunately, Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy had not been heard of by Earthmen excluding a rather remarkable Englishman by the name of Arthur Dent, and therefore the Batman holed himself up in the safest place on earth, which was not nearly as safe as it needed to be. For the moment, however, the Batcave would have to do. It was safe from nearly everyone. Nearly.

"Bruce, what _are_ you doing at 3 in the morning?" Her perfect voice invaded his sanctuary.

"Princess. Out." he ordered.

"Oh, come on, Bruce," she said, walking up to him, putting her arms around his shoulders. "When was the last time you had a full night's rest?"

"Never."

"Then you're far overdue." She replied with a smirk. "Go to bed. I promise it's not that important, whatever it is."

"Isn't it?" His voice had a dangerous edge to it. "Who's Alyss?"

"I don't know what you-"

"Don't lie to me. Diana. Who is she? When was the last time you saw her? What about your brother, your sisters? Your _daughter_?" His voice sank dangerously as he turned around to face her.

She took her arms away, wrapping them around herself. "Bruce, I can't, I'm not, the girl in those videos; she's not me. She, she's a broken little girl that died along time ago; you need to let it go. Diana Prince is not who I am." He looked away from her, and she was silent. He didn't know how long he sat there, minutes, or hours, before he realized that she had stopped breathing.

* * *

The med-bay in the watchtower was surprisingly empty, having only one patient. This patient, however, was extremely important, and everyone upon the watchtower was incredibly disturbed for the fate of Wonder Woman.

"I don't know what to tell you." J'onn said. "Her levels are normal, her heart is beating, but she just...isn't. I've tried telepathic communication, but there's nothing there."

"So something's blocking her mind?" The Batman glared.

"No, there isn't a block. It's more that there isn't anything at all. She, herself, simply doesn't exist." The Martian sighed with frustration, trying to ignore the fits of rage coming from Bruce's mind.

"How can this happen?" He seethed as he banged his fist on the table. No one answered, they just stared at the mark on the table top, a mark of one of the few times the Batman had lost control, ever. Clark tried to walk towards her, but he never made it. As he passed Bruce, he was thrown across the room out into the hallway.

"This. Is. YOUR. Fault." He spat at him as the Man of Steel struggled to sit.

"How?"

"If you hadn't shown her those damn videos, everything would've been fine! But instead of coming straight to me with it, you think its a good idea to make her relive the whole fucking thing in a founders meeting!" he spat.

"Relive it?" Clark was standing now, although out of reach of Batman.

"Hey, hey, maybe we shouldn't get into this..." Wally tried to but in. He was returned with a batglare. "No, I'm serious, if he doesn't really get it-"

"Save it, kid." John shook his head at him.

"Look, if you all get this, can someone explain it to me?" Superman asked.

"You messed it up. You fix it." The Batman spat.

"How?"

"Try starting with her sister."

"The Amazon's?"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "No. The girl in the video. Do I have to spell it out for you, Kent? Short. Black hair. _Purple_ eyes." And with that, Bruce stalked out of the room.

* * *

Lois Lane was really, honestly afraid. More afraid than she had been when Clark had left, more afraid than she had been in those final, horrific moments 17 years ago. She was afraid for everything and everyone, because of this gut wrenching, aching feeling of something being absolutely, completely wrong.

And she had no idea what it was.

That unknowing made it practically unbearable, until she jumped up, grabbed her keys, and drove to her children's school, a private Catholic one in the heart of Metropolis. It had been the safest place she could think of at the time, but now it seemed ridiculous. Leaving Seth and Sarah alone under the structure of religious teachers? It was insane, she knew, to have left them there, and this sudden, pressing wrongness left her with little choice.

They were in P.E., the secretary had said. Somewhere in the back of her mind it echoed that it was almost cruel, having children perform rigorous physical activity for an hour so early in the morning. But all that mattered was getting them out of the school, out of the city, as far away as possible until she knew they were absolutely safe.

She turned the corner, almost to the gymnasium when the wrongness increased. The world spun in funny angles, and it was all she could do to open the door, and see the frozen faces as her children smirked in contempt, absorbed in the arms of a blonde teenager.

She choked out a final word as she gave way to the overwhelming glamour.

"Aleana."

* * *

Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, prided herself upon never showing fear, or even the slightest bit of sadness in front of anyone. She was strong, mighty and brave, a queen to all due rights.

So how was it that as she gazed upon the waters that surrounded Themiscyra, she had broken down into absolutely uncontrollable sobs? How could it be possible that for the first time in so many years, she was inconsolable, unable to stop crying, even as her Amazons at first surrounded, then avoided her? What was wrong with her?

She did not know. All she knew is that something in the Patriarch's World was so wrong, so out of balance, she felt as she had over a decade ago - broken. Because a part of her was broken, a part she had no control over and could not repair.

The balance was swinging.


	6. Chapter 6

Oooh, a whole month of school gone and done! Everyone's started now, or been waaaay started (like me), so I hope y'all are enjoying (or slowly and painfully agonizing) it.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

Sarah Lane had been more than happy to watch the world slow down, the annoying children stop moving, as she walked into the room.

She was beautiful, so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. Flowing blonde hair that rested just above her knees, paired with pale, pale skin, a petite frame and green eyes that seemed to hold the pain of the world and all its joys. Sarah had no doubt that if this girl, (for it was indeed a girl, everything about her screamed child) no doubt at all that should she open her mouth, you would be able to see the whole universe in her throat.

Her beauty was mesmerizing, as was the way she called out to them, and Seth was coming to, so it couldn't be wrong, not if Seth thought it was fine. Those stupid, mundane children deserved to be slowed down, the idiot excuse of a coach deserved the horror on her face. She should go to that child, because she was going to make everything better, so much better. Her arms were soft as she held Sarah and her twin; it was good, even the vague scent of death was good, because it was familiar, somehow. It would be alright now, she would make it better.

It was only as she turned her head to smile at Seth that she saw her mother, with her face contorted with pain and terror, only then that Sarah knew.

"What have you done?"

The girl-child just smiled, and the world fell away from her.

* * *

Clark Kent stood pounding on Lois Lane's door for two hours.

After that, he gave in and came in through the window at the back of the flat. Despite her car's presence in the parking lot, it was obvious that no one was home. HE had landed in the living room, which contained a large couch, a television, and...textbooks. Dozens of them, ranging from 3rd grade History to Advanced Romanian.

Curiosity taking the better of him, he walked around the rest of the flat. The kitchen was stuffed with boxed macaroni and poptarts, and full of colourful bowls. His heart sinking, he walked into one of the bedrooms. He knew it was Lois' immediately, it was decorated entirely to her tastes. There wasn't actually anything remarkable about it, except for the photographs on her nightstand. There were two separate ones portraying two different babies.

Children. It took his mind a moment to process that as he looked at the other photographs. They all portrayed the boy and girl, with and without who was obviously their mother. After a while, he found himself picking out his features in them, the boy's jaw, the girl's curls. The boy had his eyes, and his muscles. The girl took mostly after her mother, but there were unmistakable traits that were his, the tilt of her chin, the way she stood, that look in her eyes in a photograph of her and a cat, a look of genuinely _wanting_ to help someone. As if on their own command, his hands reached for one, a snapshot of Lois and the children, laughing at a fair. He couldn't help himself from slipping it into his pocket as he walked across the hall to the other room.

It completely belonged to the twins. One side was done up in shades of green and blue, featuring famous Greek heroes and covered in books in Latin and Greek. The other side was pink and neon orange, and covered in posters of the Batman. He laughed aloud when he saw it, his daughter's room covered in Batman. It was ironic, of course, but he doubted Lois would as much as let a Superman colouring page into the house. Her bed was also strewn in books, although hers were mainly Latin and Cyrillic. On top of everything on her side of the room were papers written in Farsi, notebooks covered in it. He couldn't make out a word of it, and somehow he doubted Lois could either. Whatever it was, she had gone to lengths concealing it in foreign languages, mixing it with the other books and papers throughout the room.

He sighed, and turned to go out. As much as he wanted to stay, there was work to do. He'd all ready left them needing once. He couldn't do it again.

* * *

There was no change in Diana, or the majority of the watchtower.

She was still laying, breathing very, very slowly from the iron lung they had put her in. No other movement existed, no mental change, just simple existence in the form of a physical body.

This bothered J'onn to an extreme. He had never dealt with, or even remotely heard of something like this. Never heard of a sudden collapsing, with no interference at all, no reason, nor the slightest wisp of a cause for her mind to be so suddenly and severely emptied. No, that wasn't the term for it. Her mind didn't exist. There was no mind. There was no soul. There was no Diana. There was nothing to have been emptied. Normally there was something, even if it was irreversible, there was something left. An empty husk of a mind with nothing left in it, or perhaps a trace of whomever had done the deed. But for there to be nothing, it was very disturbing, indeed.

Almost as disturbing was the Batman, who had not left her side once, not even to eat or relieve himself. The martian had long since suspected feelings between the two of them, but it was simply not natural for him to be leaving everything to its own, to leave Gotham for this long. To drop everything and wear his heart on his sleeve as she lays there without a thought, it was not the way of the Batman at all. But then, he suspected that almost everyone else had dropped everything as well...

Wally sped into the room, carrying Oreos, which J'onn took gratefully, and handing coffee to Bruce. Almost as an afterthought, he noticed that it was choked with cream and sugar. The Bat didn't even seem to notice, downing it in a single gulp.

"So, anything change yet?" The scarlet speedster asked.

"No." came the reply from the corner. Bruce's voice was full of pain, and the Martian felt a sudden flash of pity for him. The poor man, he had lost what he had as soon as it had been found, going the the pain of loosing a beloved again. And J'onn knew only to well how that felt...

* * *

The room was dirty, and tired. It was painted entirely in black, making the dust only more obvious.

Lois's eyes slowly adjusted to the dankness. She slowly searched the room, taking in her surroundings. There was nothing in the room save two small figures laying 10 feet from her arms. She let out a gasp as she realized who they were.

"They are fine." Lois turned to face the blonde girl who had spoken.

"What have you done to my children?" She whispered, half afraid of the answer.

"Nothing. They are sleeping. Having your molecules split apart and then rearranged at a different location is tiring. I had thought you would be used to it by now, but it has been a while, has it not?" Her face was stoic, but there was something in the lilt of her chin, almost suggesting a smile. Lois doubted that she could.

"If you don't intend on harming us, why keep us here?"

"My dear aunt, surely you realize what a tremendous law you have broken by bringing these children into the world. I have no wish whatsoever to harm the three of you, but others will not be nearly as understanding. A relationship with the alien, mudo children, you do have do understand that over half the Order wishes for your immediate execution."

"They have no idea, none at all, of their lineage. They don't even have a reaction to kryptonite, they are easily hidden-"

"I did not," she interrupted, "I did not say that we would do so. The less than half that wishes for you to remain in the mortal world happens to be the less than half with the most influence. Of course, some of that revolves around the fact that, ignorant as they are, their souls would be granted that which every innocent child is due, and they feel that it is most undeserved of the filthy half breeds. But there are some." She smiled, and Lois wished she hadn't. The smile was much to great of a reminder of everything that had been lost, of how many had smiled that same, sad smile when they knew it wasn't worth fighting anymore.

"Some?" she half whispered.

"Oh yes, there are some. Some of us who who just want you here because you're you, and your children are just innocent witnesses in the destruction that is the world." The girl shook her head tiredly. "But that's not going to save you. I'm sorry."

"Then why bother even coming, why bring us here?"

The girl child, Aleana, walked over, and came to sit beside her, pushing Lois's hair from her face, stroking her head. "I am so, so sorry. You can't possibly understand how sorry I am. But you need to know, oh, it's kinder this way. A bullet to the head, the three of you together, so fast. It's nothing, nothing compared to what wants you. All of you, for each and every sin. If they die right now, tomorrow, they can't be touched. But if what they want comes to pass, no pleading on your part will save them, no selling of anyone's soul. It is your choice. To the very end, it is yours to make."

"How can I possibly-"

"Shush. Don't think on it now. They are waking, and I imagine you will be wanting to spend as much time with them as possible." She rose, and stepped towards the door.

"Aleana?"

The girl turned to face her.

"Which have you chosen for yours?" Lois asked.

"Life, for as long as possible. But yes. I will kill them." She turned on her heel, and left, just as Seth began to stir.

* * *

Caroline sat in the room, waiting. In her arms was the ghost of a child who had never made it past his infancy. His name was long forgotten, and Caroline mulled over the possibilites as she waited. It was an Armenian baby, with dark hair and soulfull eyes. Caroline was glad he had been killed in the genocide of 1915, and had not grown up to be old and decrepit. Here he was happy, as were all dead children. Here he could laugh and play and enjoy the pleasures of childhood, of never having his innocence lost. Caroline didn't pity the dead. She envied them.

The boy's eyes sought hers, and despite his young body she could see knowledge and wisdom mixed with the innocence and playfulness. He smiled at her, grabbing her hair.

"Arshavir. It means wise. Do you like it?" The baby smile at the name, as if it had always been his. Caroline brushed his hair out of his face, and smiled at the little one. If she could sit here forever, giving names to children whose had been forgotten (a job that many felt neccessary and yet none had time for), Caroline would have been happy.

But Aleana had no time nor people to spare for ghost-children, Caroline knew as she straightened up and set down Arshavir when the Queen walked in.

"Caroline, who is this one?" The girl-child, the queen, asked as she picked up the ghost-boy.

"Arshavir. What is it you need me to do?"

"They have requested Diana Prince in exchange for Lucy and Damien." Aleana's face was unreadable. Caroline smiled.

"That's great!"

"You would think." She put Arshavir down, and he crawled along the floor towards a corner to play with a nail.

"What's wrong, we can just go get her, right?"

"No." Aleana scowled. "No, somehow she knew. Before any of us, she knew, and made it so the Solas will never take her."

"What?"

"She invoked Alyss's wrath, and brought down the curse upon herself. She denied everything. Her name, her parentage, and me. She denied the Order, or having ever been a part of it."

"But she was the queen, did she not know what would happen to her soul?" Caroline couldn't comprehend it, denial of even the smallest thing could make her pass out. The inability to lie pressed upon their kind greatly, even warping the truth took most of her energy. To flat out lie, about everything...

"This is her Azaranthium, or what is left. It was completely separated from her body." Aleana held out the ball of energy. It was nearly black, pulsating slowly. It was close to being dead, so twisted and _wrong_that even Arshavir hid his face.

"She's dead."

"No, her body is still alive, alive and suspended there due to machinery and magic the "Justice League" has created." The loathing in her voice was unmistakeable.

"What is it I need to do?" Now Caroline understood, Aleana had come to her with this because they needed Diana whole and well to give her over, and Caroline was the only one who had enough practice with healing who could handle what must be done.

"Heal it, place it in her body, and say the rites. She does not deserve it, but we need her alive."

"Yes, my lady." Caroline smiled, and prepared to leave.

"Caroline?"

"Yes?"

"Use the Wayne boy. There is more to him than one would think."

Caroline turned on her heel, and left the night.


	7. Chapter 7

Only a couple more days until Halloween! Hope this is okay, and happy candy pickings!

* * *

The watchtower was an abyss of darkness, almost. With one of its founders practically dead, and another an emotional black hole, it was impossible to be cheerful. Impossible to smile. Impossible to even run around with iced mochas and crack a worthless joke. Wally sat in front of the open windows, watching the world swirl below him. Everyone else had disappeared into their various hiding places (Shayera and John in her room, J'onn in the med bay, Clark in his fortress, Bruce beside Diana…constantly). But the Flash sat in the open. He saw no point in running from the obvious. Diana was dying, if she wasn't dead already. And hiding away from the disappointed faces, shying from the wrath of Bruce wouldn't change anything. He would sit here and accept whatever came.

"You know, sometimes you sit up here and feel like a god. The world is yours to protect, and every thing is exactly in balance with the way you made the world. And then this happens, and all you feel is alone, because it reminds you that the world was made by something much bigger, and you're just a pawn being moved, without any real significance." The girl had managed to sneak up on him. Her dark hair paled her light skin, and she held a hand out to him. He took it, standing up.

"Does it even matter how it is that you're here?"

She smiled. "No. I'm here to help, as much as I can."

"Diana, you can-"

"Take me to her. I can restore her soul. But as for her mind, I have no idea how it will be affected. She damaged it herself so badly."

"This way. I'm not about to stop you." He stood, and walked towards the med-bay, the girl following. Bruce barely looked up as they walked in, and J'onn asked no questions. It wasn't until the girl took one of Diana's hands that anyone spoke.

"What is she doing?" Wally was surprised to hear the roughness in the Batman's voice.

The girl whipped her head around, flashing him a smile. "I'm Caroline."

"How are you here?"

"Your defenses are pathetic. If it came to a real fight, you would die. I don't know how you've avoided Them for so long; you should have been annihilated by now." She ran her hands over Diana's face, concentrating.

"Her body is so _broken_." she whispered after a time. "She should be bathed in the Lethe. The Azaranthium has been, it might repel her. It might kill her, the Queen would like that. But you wouldn't like that, would you?" She looked sharply at the Batman, hostility in her eyes. "No, you wouldn't, and neither would the Queen, not now. But a shell of this cannot be brought to Earth, Gaea would destroy it instantly, she would. We will work with what they have. You." she looked to Wally. "Bring me The Lasso of Truth. She will need to be bound. And you, Wayne, come. I will need you."

He stood, and grabbed the child by her arms. "Don't touch her," He growled. "I will not be ordered like a dog by a child."

"You think you are worth as much as a dog? The life of a flea of a mutt's back has more value than yours." She spat at him. "You may help, or observe, but know that it will be just another life you have taken."

"I have never taken a life." He fixed her with his most frightening stare, the one even his closest enemies cowered from. She laughed.

"And you are still in denial of your childhood." She smiled at him, shaking her head. "Tie her arms, tie her feet. Around the temples of Hecate, it has been said that the last time this was attempted, it was before Heracles, and the girl killed herself. But," she smiled at them, "that is just hearsay. It has also been said that Alyss did it and survived, but who can know what Alyss did or didn't do to herself in those fourteen years?"

"No one can." Wally said quickly, and binding Diana as he had been instructed.

The darkling reached into the folds of her cloak, taking out a glowing sphere. Silver and blue encircled black that was not black. It could only be described as emptiness, a void that seemed to contain nothing and everything all at once. And it all was _her_, her laugh, her voice echoing the halls as she sang, her smile, her tears. It was all the little things that made her happy, and the hole in her spirit that seemed to grow bigger with each and every tragedy she witnessed, each death she no longer shed tears over. It was so broken, so cracked and bent and twisted. And Bruce realized that the sphere was her, it was broken because _she _was broken, mangled because her mind was more warped than his. He could not imagine what had happened to push her past the point of a pained child, making her into the lie she lived every day for them, for him. A wisp of a thought begged at his mind, but he pushed it down. It couldn't be. That didn't exist.

"Justice." The girl's voice startled him. "Justice, truth, everything you and yours stand for did it. I see how you look at it, repulsed, you can't stand to think she isn't what you thought. She isn't pure or light or good, and it was the light that made it so. Blame? Look around you." She held out the sphere to him, almost begging for him to take it from her, to rid her of the pain that was rippling across it. He couldn't bring himself to. "I know. It hurts, that she hurts this much, her Azaranthium is this broken. And this is the best I could do!" Her voice cracked. "Every spell, every blessing, I almost bathed it in the Lethe. But then she wouldn't even know her name. Aleana would kill me."

Bruce went to the dark child, taking the sphere, the Azaranthium, from her, and let her shake. It surrounded him, but he didn't mind, because he didn't know what to do with the girl whose soul was still in her body. He doubted hers was any less broken than Diana's.

"Caroline." It was was Wally who spoke. "You did what you could. It can't be foretold by any soothsayer how she will come out of this. The only way to know is to restore her. And even if she's changed past recognition, it will be better than where she is now." The girl nodded, and took the Azaranthium from the Batman.

Her face was set. "Draw the circle."

* * *

Seth Lane came to consciousness he was in a dingy room with almost no light. Beside him, Sarah was asleep, as he reassured himself as he checked her breathing. A few yards away layed his mother, equally asleep. She stirred, and a gut feeling wrenched him back into a position of sleep. He stayed there, as still as his sister, as he listened to his mother awaken, and exclaim over Sarah and him. He stayed there as the witch-girl, Aleana, came in, stayed as she and his mother discussed their deaths- inevitable. That was what she said. Inevitable, no matter who killed them.

It hung over him, and he knew that this would be it, the one thing he would not share with his twin, the one thing that she would never know about. If they only had a few months at best, assuming that their mother did not kill them, than he couldn't. Her last days would be joyous and carefree, or as carefree as Sarah could be. He wouldn't add to her worries.

And it was now that he felt that he should appear to wake, stirring and stumbling his way over towards his mother. She looked at him with all the sorrow of the world in her eyes as he came to sit in her lap.

"Seth." She whispered, stroking his hair, and he felt himself lean into her, something he hadn't let himself do in the longest time. Before he knew it, for the first time in years, she was comforting him, being _his_ mother, and not the other way around, with Sarah and him holding her.

"I am so, so sorry." she rocked him, back and forth, back and forth.

"Do what you have to, Mother." He whispered into her shoulder, and they sat, sat in the darkness until Sarah woke and joined them. And they cried.

* * *

In another room, in another place just as dark, with the people just as desperate, a girl sat with her children, attempting to figure out the best way to explain to them what she was going to do. It was not possible to tell them, it was not possible to look in their trusting eyes, eyes that praised her, eyes that adored her. They depended on her with every fiber of their being, and she could not whisper the pained words to them, that they were all soon going to die.

What could she say, what could she do, to make this alright? How could this ever be ok? If it wasn't for _them_, demanding _their_ blood, demanding _their_ payment that _they_ deserved because _they_ were elite, she wouldn't be here, about to commit unspeakable crimes. Infanticide, unforgivable, even less than matricide, and she was about to commit both. If only there was some way to stop them, some way to restore the balance-

But no. She mustn't think like that. She had never cared about her soul, and she would not start now. Not even her children could stir that from her. So what if she was dammed to all eternity? Her children would be saved, yes, they had done nothing short of Elysium, and if she went down, she would be taking her mother with her, finally. She did not care. She would not care.

A boy-man walked into the room, breaking her from her thoughts. She greeted him with a kiss, and they stared at their sleeping children together. He knew of her plan. What she did not know was that he planned to carry it out himself, planned to save her from the guilt and horror that would follow.

"Eyian, we can't go on like this. We will have to tell them." Her voice was shaky, she was frightened. He took her into his arms.

"No. We will spare them the pain. They will die innocent, the way all children should. Before the world can terrorize them."

"You would kill all children, if it meant sparing them all pain."

"Every one, and then hound out the adults. Aleana?"

"Mhmm?"

"Did you really send Caroline Luthor to cure your mother?"

"Yes. She was the only one I could trust to not sabotage the job."

"You will destroy her."

"She was with Adelle. There is nothing left to destroy."

They sat for a time, minutes, hours, it could not be said. And then Eyian rose, and bed his queen to also.

"Come. There is a revel we should be attending to."

"As you like it," she replied. "Perhapsing there might be a guest of honor. Perhapsing she doesn't die."

"Oh, but you would like it if she did." He smiled at her.

"Yes." She said simply. "As would the rest of the Order." And they turned on their heels, and left.


End file.
